A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

National Park Service group campground

Sheep Pass Group

National Park Service group campground in Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County, California. About 4,500 feet. 10.7 miles from Twentynine Palms.

Managed by
National Park Service Joshua Tree National Park
Elevation
About 4,500 ft As the National Park Service states
Sites
6 6 group tent only area non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more!

Sheep Pass Group Campground is centrally located within Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California and is easily accessible to hiking trails and rock climbing routes. It is one of three group campgrounds in the park. Towering rock formations and uniquely-shaped Joshua trees surround the facility. To get the most out of your visit Plan Like a Park Ranger

Travelers who enjoy warm, dry winters flock to Joshua Tree from October through May, when temperatures hover in the 70 to 90-degree range during the day and drop to a 40 to 60-degree range at night. Summer is the park's off-season due to the uncomfortably-high desert heat. Sheep Pass is at an elevation of 4,500 feet and has a mix of both sun and shade.

Recreation

Sheep Pass is very close to many hiking trails, popular rock climbing routes and a central location for sightseeing within the park.

Facilities

There are six group sites within the campground. Electrical hookups and drinking water are not provided.

Natural Features

The distinctive shape of Joshua trees and the huge rocks that surround them draw tourists and scientists alike to the national park. Joshua trees are a member of the yucca family that have long evergreen leaves, shaggy bark and bunches of white flowers that bloom in spring. The rocks were formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago and have been exposed and shaped by wind and water over time. They brighten with soft pastel hues in the morning and evening sunlight and glow with campfire light at night.

Visitors may want to keep their eyes out for typical desert inhabitants such as lizards, rattlesnakes, scorpions, ravens, squirrels, coyotes and desert tarantulas during the cooler months of the year. Bobcats and mountain lions do live in the park, however they are rarely seen near humans.

The description, directions and fees are the National Park Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • climbing
  • hiking
  • picnicking

The land around Sheep Pass Group

The ringed pin is this group campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated July 21, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.